“His appointment will ensure the Government is well supported as it grapples with creating an effective, yet visionary mix of research, innovation and commercialisation that works across all of Australia.

Dr Finkel brings experience of the intersection of science and industry, understanding the capacity for dynamic change in the way we network and drive research as well as how we fund it.

We thank outgoing Chief Scientist, Professor Ian Chubb for his robust dedication to bringing science and research priorities to the fore of the economic and social agenda. He has made the role of Chief Scientist central to science, research and innovation policy development, a position it did not previously have.

We wish him well for the future and look forward to welcoming him to future IRU events as former Vice-Chancellor of an IRU member, Flinders University,” says Conor King.